Tray for use in refining towers



Sept. 23, 1952 H. c. GLn'scH 2,611,596

TRAY FOR USEAIN REFINING TOWERS I Filed July 25, 194s 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 lll/111111111111 um 0 C59. hqL// j@ M7 @W7 Sm A1-1. c. GLITscH 2,611,596

ma? PoR USEy 1N REFINING TOWERS Patented Sept. 23, 1952 2,611,596 l 'TRAY Fon Usi: 1N REFINING TOWERS Hans C. .Glitsch, Dallas, Tex., assigner to Glitsch' i n r-Engineering Company, Dallas, Tex., a partner-f y ship ltened-.together', oneof the'edge portions having a support made integral therewith for reinforcing the plate asfwell as'vth'eedgefpo'rtion of the adjacentplate.. l

An important object of thev invention is to provide anim'proved tray,1ofJ the vcharacter described, having the adjacent Imargins lof its deck plates friction'ally c lamped'together in 'overlapping relation, thei underlying? plate f margin having I a depending ilange to provide an 'integra-l support for said adjacent plate margins. I Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a improved tray, of -the'character described'wherein themarginal.edgerportion of the underlying plateis'offset downwardly to forma shoulder for receiving the marginal-edge portion of rthe adjacent overlying plate and 'support the latter in a substantially ilush .relation to the main portion of said underlying plate'.

A further olojectofI the invention is to pro` vide an improvedreleasable frictional fastener for detachably securing aportion of a refining tray deck in position so. as to facilitate removal and installation'of the 'deck portion.

A construction.designedvtocarry out the invention will lbe hereinafter described together with other features of the-invention.

The inventionwillbe more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein anV example of theinvention is shown, andwherein;

Fig. 1 is a p1an;view Voa rening tower tray constructed-in accordance with theinventon and mountedinavessel, Y

Fig. 2 is .a transverse, vertical, sectional View ofthetray, n; f f z Fig. 3 is a detailed, planl view of a *portion of the tray, showing themountingpf deck sections, 1.

Fig-.41s a perspective view,`partly 'in section,

ofthe mounting, l 1 e application July 2s, 194s, serial No. 40,230

Fig. 5 isfa transverse", vertical', sectional Viewy of one of themanwayclamps in ,fastening position, 1 i.: v

Fig. 6 is' a View, similar Vto=1= ig. 5,: showing the clamp unfastened, and 1 i,

Fig-.7 is a transverse, Vvertical, sectional'view, showing the construction and frictional fastening of;adjacentdecksections.li.. In the drawingsythe numeral I0 designates the cylindrical wall or shellof a refining. toweror diierent types. f The tower may be of anyA desired construction, diameter and height and,;. for the purposes of illustration, hadbeen shown asbeing generally of the bubble tower, type;however, the

- usual risers and bubblecapsghave been omitted,

having super-imposed trays, 0r decksfand 126i to be limited to. the .particularoweli snowman@ descrbedhern-x 1 I Eachztrar Afis' pr ratly'supriered Within. the tower by a Substaiiellyanlllle rilg H Whh is welded or Otherwise"seguiamo..tliennallylindrical surface of 4the wall -I and which projects radial inwardlyfromfsaid surfaceas' shown in Figs. A1, 2 and '4., plurality 'of deckplate's or floor sections I2,` I3, I4, AIfifll and'I'L'of stainless steel or other lightr gaugeand preferably corrosion-resistant material, have their 'end portions supported upon the ring I I and frictiona'lly fastened thereto bysuitabl'e clamps I8, such'as shown in United StateS'qPatent No; 2,341,091, issued February v8, 1944. The deck' sections 'ex'- tend transversely di the, twefriflerallel laten with each section A being 'relativelynarifow Ain Width .Compared1 ,iQ- its length. lm friirl clamping of said. sections to the ringpermitt'ing longitudinal movement. oftthe sections upon ther-1v mal expansion and contraction; Suitable Cla-inps,

I9, which will rbe `described hereinafter; fric-- tionally fastened togetherthe adjacent marginal or longitudinal edge portions of the sections' 1f desired, one for morev beamsor tr l 1SS s 20,fab

ricated of stainless steel or other thin, light material, extend transversely of the deck sections of each tray for supporting the inner end portions of said sections which are frictionally fastened to the beam by plurality of clamps 2l, similar to the clamps I8 .The ends ofthe beam 2B are secured tosuitable, .brackets 22 -carried by the wal1 ID lbelow the ring II. Itis noted that one end of the tray terminates short of the Wall I8 to provide an opening 23 for a Weir type dovvncomer` 24 which is secured to and depends from a flange 25 preferably made integral with and extending downwardly and outwardly from the 'end fsection I1. An eflluent Weir 26 is bolted or otherwise fastened to the longitudinal margin of the section I1, while an influent weir 21 is secured to the adjacent longitudinal edge portions of l'the sections I2 and I3 by their clamps I9.

One longitudinal edge portion of one of the adjacent longitudinal edge portions of the sections is offset 'downwardly to provide a parallel, co-extensive flange or shoulder 28 which underlies and forms a support for the margin of the adjacent sheet. Each clamp I3 includesa bolt 29 which extends throughanropening 30 formed in the ilange 28 and has an enlarged Washer 3| confined thereupon so as to overlie the adjacent margins of the sections. A nut 32 is screwed onto the lower end of the bolt 29 for clamping the longitudinal edge portion of the overlying section between the flange 28 and the Washer 3l. With this arrangement, vthe sections are frictionally Vfastened together but may undergo limited lateral movement to compensate for thermal expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. Ifdesired, a lstrip 33 of suitable packing material may be interposed be-l tween the Vflange v28 andthe overlying edge portion voffthe adjacent section. Also, a washer 34 may be confined upon-'the bolt between the flange and the nut 32. It is noted that each shoulder 2871s, of suillcient width to support the overlying edge vportion of fthe adjacent section in unobstructed, spaced relation to "the ilat portion of the section Vhaving said shoulder (Figs. Band 7) whereby an expansion joint is povided'between adjacent sections and room `is provided for vthe clamp bolts 29 and openings 30. For reinforcing and'addingri'gdity to thedec sections so as to eliminate the necessity for vuse of auxiliary supports, a depending leg orfflange 35 maybe formed by bending thel longitudinal edge portion` ofA each oset portion or `flange 28 downwardly at substantiallya right angle. Additionalrigidity may be obtained by bending the lower extremity of the leg 35 upwardly upon itself to provide a horizontal leg or flange 36 which preferably underlies fthe flange 28. As shown in Figs. 2 and 7, one longitudinal edge portion of the section I3 is provided with the horizontal flanges 28 and36" and thel depending flange 35, while'its opposite edge portion isilat and alined with the kmain Vbody of ksaid section. The sections l2 and l5 are atthroughout their areas, the former being supported by the offset flange 28 of the section I3 and the latter having its longitudinal edge portions supportedby the olfset, horizontal flanges formed on the adjacent margins of the-sections i4 and I6. Both longitudinal edge portions of these sections are Vprovided With the offset'ilanges for supporting the adjacent overlying margins of the Vsections VI3 and l1.

i It is pointed out that `this ATparticular4 construction and arrangement of the sections are not essential or necessarily desirable, being subject to variation due to the location, strength and dimensions of said sections as Well as the load placed thereupon and the function of the tray. In some installations, each section will have only one offset, ilanged longitudinal edge portion. Ordinarily,VT the `depending flange 35 and horizontal leg '36 will be incorporated with each offset flange 28. If desired, an elongate flat plate or bar 31 may be welded or otherwise secured to each lof the Y depending flanges 35 so as to add rigidity thereto and additionally reinforce the sa'm'e'u'Tliis' baiis'preferably formed of similar material, but is fjhavier gauge or greater thickness.

in orderfor the end portions of the sections to overliewthe ring Il, the offset flange 28, its depending flange 35 and horizontal leg 3E are of less length than said sections so as to terminate short of said endportions as shown inA Figs. 3 and 4. A zelamp 381isyprovlded -for frictionally fastening'the'connected adjacent margins of the sections to rthe Aring and includesY an elongate, flat plate or clampingmemberf-SS which 'overlies and extends longitudinally of said adjacent margins. An openingis formed in the plate 39 for receiving Ya bolt,l lilA which `extends through an opening 42 formed-'in the 'oiisetilange28' ofthe underlying section and vhas :an 'angular member or plate 43 secured on `its lower end Vbva suitable nut .(not shown). The plate i43 underlies theY ring I Iv and has an upstandi'ng.' transverse lug`44 at its inner end for beari'ng'against-the underside of the offset flange 28. ,Due -to this arrangement, the adjacent margins of the ysectionsare clamped to the ring between the plates 39 and 43.V

The tray `preferably jincludes a manway 45 whichmaybe at Vany"desiredpoint -but;which has 'been shown between thefportions 'or subsections Ia and 15b ofthe-lsectionjii. Thelongitudinal marginsof theA manwayi extend par-4 allel to the longitudinal edgesfofthesub-sections i5a and 15b so as to voverlie the offset 'flanges r28 ofthe sectionsA IA vland -I6.For supporting Vthe end portionsgofjthe manway, theadjacentend' portions of the subsections-l-5a and PSbfare-pro-V vided with downwardlyoifset flanges idw-nich may be reinforced -by depending flanges '41 -and. horizontal legs 48ers 'well' as 3by bars^49,-'simllar\to the flange 35,1eg`36 andbarfS'I.

A plurality of clamps 50 'arejpiovided 'fordetachably securing th'e -manway to'the flanges 28 and 46, and each clamp includes 'a cylindrical stud or pi'n- 5i *havingsa `circular 'washer 52 i welded or otherwise-secured'thereto'adjacentits lower end. The vstud 5I; :projects upwardly through an openingt53formed'in-the oifsetflarlge 46 with. its Washer t52 bearnga'gainstthe Yunderside of said flange. 'A:horizontal'clamping'member or angle barv 54,'is 'welded'orfotherwise secured toene side ofthestud'El? adjaeiitits'upper end, and extendlngata right angle 'to vthe faxis of said stud'and -being of Afs'ul'ci'entlength -to overlie the marginal edge portions of'th'enian'- way and adjacent section vorf'slib-"section 'ils shown by thenuineral 55, 'the 'lendsftheelamp member are bent upwardly to `A"povide a'cl'a'rance lip which will ride uponahdoverftheinargin of the manway. VIt is noted thatfthe space between the. washer andthe -olahipihg member is only sufcinttopermit turning 'of the'st'u'd by a wrench or other tool (not shown). Ifdesired, a' strip C56 fof suitablepacking is interposed between the margins of the manway and *'th'e' offset flanges 46 as well as the flanges 28.

It is manifest that a quarter turn of the stud is sufficient to move the clamping member from a latched to an unlatched position, the upturned ends or lips 55 of said member riding over and clamping the margin of the manway into snug engagement with the offset ilange. When the clamp is latched, the bar overlies the margins of the manway and section or sub-section. Upon turning the clamp to its unfastened position, the bar is swung clear of the manway and overlies only the margin of the section or sub-section whereby the manway may be readily removed. A broad bearing surface is provided by the washer 52 due to its enlarged diameter. The clamp is not only simple in construction but eliminates the necessity of using bolts and nuts without the danger of the manway becoming loose due to vibration.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes inthe size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rening vessel tray including, a deck having a plurality of elongate sections supported at their ends and disposed within their longitudinal edge portions in adjacent substantially parallel relationship, at least one of the longitudinal edge portions of at least one of the sections being oliset downwardly, the longitudinal edgeportion oi' an adjacent section resting upon and supported by said offset edge portion in coplanar relationship, means carried by said offset edge portion in transversely spaced relation to the supported` edge portion and overlying the latter edge portion for frictionally fastening together the edge portions, the offset edge portion being bent downwardly to form a supporting ange for said edge portions, said deck section and oiset edge portion and supporting flange being formed integrally from one sheet to provide a one-piece structure, said offset edge portion having open# ings therein, the fastening means including studs in the openings, washers on the studs beneath the deck sections, and a clamping bar at and se- ,cured to one side of each stud and extending at a right angle to the longitudinal axis thereof, the bar being spaced from 4the washer a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the adjacent section.

2. In a reflning vessel tray, a one-piece tray section comprising an elongate one-piece plate and reinforcing support of light gauge metal, the plate having a substantially flat major portion with one of its longitudinal edge portions offset downwardly a distance substantially equal to the tionship between the seated edge portion of the tray section and said substantially flat major plate portion so as to permit lateral thermal expansion and contraction of the tray section and plate.

3. A one-piece section as set forth in claim 2 wherein the plate has both of its longitudinal edge portions oiset downwardly to provide a pair of offset horizontal shoulders.

4. A one-piece tray section as set forth in claim 2 including frictional fasteners carried by the unobstructed portion of the shoulder in spaced relation to the seated edge portion of the adjacent tray section for overlying the seated edge portion to clamp the tray section against upward displacement relative to the plate.

HANS C, GLITSCH..

, REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

Gltsch Feb. 8, 1944 

